A capable puck-moving defenseman, Heinola is poised under pressure and makes small but smart plays in his own end. Overall, his skating is good, even though he could stand to add a bit more speed. He’s agile, has quick first-step acceleration and can shake off opponents with quick turns. He defends aggressively in the neutral zone, which can result in odd-man rushes for his team. He creates turnovers and is good at forcing the opposing team to try to cross the neutral zone again. His biggest weaknesses are on the defensive side of things. He gets caught out of position multiple times at even-strength and on the penalty kill. The fact that he gets outmuscled pretty easily doesn’t necessarily help the situation. He’s trusted to play on the penalty kill despite his mistakes, which tells you something about his coaching staff’s faith in him. He carries the puck with confidence and is excellent at traversing his way through the neutral zone. He’s shown an ability to play a deceptive offensive game. He’s able to make quick, small plays when required, but also has poise with the puck. His passes are mostly accurate and crisp. His game needs refining and he doesn’t necessarily have any standout tools, but he projects to be solid two-way defenseman with an offensive upside.

– FCHockey’s 2019 NHL Draft Guide